PIKETON, Ohio — With nearly 70 percent of southern Ohio’s land cover invested in farmland and forests, opportunities abound to convert those resources into bioenergy products.
An Ohio State University workshop will be offered this month that will explore the feasibility of producing and processing bioenergy crops to meet growing energy demands while stimulating the local economy.
“Biofeedstock Production and Utilization of Biofuel” will be held March 27 from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at OSU South Centers at Piketon, Room 160, 1862 Shyville Road, Piketon.
Sessions
The workshop program includes the following sessions:
– Future of Renewable Energy — Bill Richards, 25X25 Initiative.
– Environmental Degradation and U.S. Transition to Bioenergy — Rattan Lal, OARDC soil scientist.
– Feedstock Availability in Ohio — Jim Zuber, director of Ohio Energy.
– Ohio’s Opportunities in Renewable Energy — Mike Bailey, Bioenergy of Ohio program leader.
– Woody Biomass Feedstocks in Ohio — Matt Bumgardner, U.S. Forest Service.
– Economics of Bioenergy Production — Fred Hitzhusen, Ohio State economist.
– Distribution and Utilization of Biofuels — Rick Puckett, president of Glockner Oil Company.
– Manufacturing Biodiesel Locally — Wyndan Skye, CEO and president of ZOFU and Mother Earth Resources Cooperative.
The lunch speaker will be Ronda Kinnamon from the governor’s regional office, who will discuss energy programs.
For more information on the workshop, contact Maurus Brown at 740-289-2071, ext. 123 or e-mail brown.989@osu.edu.
Deadline
Registration is $20 and includes morning refreshments and lunch. Registration deadline is March 20. To register, contact Mary Gulas at 740-289-2071, ext. 132 or e-mail gulas.3@osu.edu.
